FY 1997 was another year of change and challenges for the USGS. As part of our overall efforts to streamline operations and put into place cost-saving programs, a comprehensive visual identity, including a logo, was developed for bureauwide use in more than 30 media, including 18 print formats alone. The new logo consists of an abstract graphic, the acronym. "USGS," and a motto, "science for a changing world." The logo was approved by the Department of the Interior in August 1997. It is graphically striking, and it reproduces well in many media. Its consistent use within a new USGS design style is raising the USGS's visibility.

Explanation of cover illustration